Getting Testosterone Levels Tested-Posted on other thread

I am not sure if maybe my estrogen levels are high or my testosterone levels are low. I have always been a "hard" gainer. I do not eat any junk food whatsoever and have tried lifting on a high protein/high calorie diet and still cannot pack on mass. I am just trying to look "defined" Could my testosterone levels be low or could I have a higher than normal estrogen level?
What should I do to have this tested? It doesn't make any sense to go through all of this if I am going to be behind the 8 ball. I have worked out and kept my diet in line for most of my life. I still have the same body type.

Are you sure...
A. You are eating enough. What constitutes high protein and high calorie?
B. You are training correctly. Ample volume, intensity, frequency, and most importantly, progressive overload?
C. You are getting enough recuperation time and sleep.

If so, its unlikely due to estrogen (if anything, you would be gaining weight (fat) easily).

It may be due to hyperthyroidism, in which case you would have a "really fast metabolism". Often having difficulty sleeping and maintaining weight are symptoms.

I have tried eating more and putting more calories into my diet. I had started with whole milk protein shakes-two a day. I eat as much as I can. I just do not have the appetite that I used to have. I think calorie wise I am around the 3 K mark on a good day.

2. I am training correctly. I put a lot of time in between rest. I usually only lift twice a week. I started lifting heavy again. When I could not get to a gym, I was working out with perfect push up/total gym with a 40 LB weight vest.

3. I usually leave 3-4 days in between lifting. I don't really work the lower part of my body with weights as my legs are muscular already from doing the treadmill at a high in cline all of the time and walking hills with the 40 pound weight vest.

The only noticeable body fat I have is around the midsection. No where else.
I have always had trouble sleeping, and have not put on any weight since college regardless of my diet/how much I eat. I guess it is hard to put on weight when you don't eat any junk, but even when I was eating 2-3 rice krispie treats a day, etc, I was not putting on any weight. I drank 4-5 nights a week in college with no weight gain. I know that was long ago, but a lot of guys would have a beer gut if they drank that much in college. Maybe I do have an overactive thyroid?

Second, the hormal response to lower body training (via squats and deadlifts) is such that testosterone and GH are increased. This, in turn, will promote growth in the upper body (so long as you are training your upper body).

You may not be training with enough frequency or enough volume. You might need to work each muscle twice a week. You may also need to take shrter rests between sets.

Second, the hormal response to lower body training (via squats and deadlifts) is such that testosterone and GH are increased. This, in turn, will promote growth in the upper body (so long as you are training your upper body).

You may not be training with enough frequency or enough volume. You might need to work each muscle twice a week. You may also need to take shrter rests between sets.

I'd get your blood work done, but also revamp your training program.

Br

I am now lifting weights two days a week. For a while I was limited to what I could do at home due to my work schedule. I was doing the total gym with a 40 pound weight vest and 20 pounds of ankle weights. I live in a small town. I had no idea there was a 24 hour gym there until November. I am mostly focusing on "large" muscle exercises when I hit the gym. Military press, bench press, lat pull down, shoulder blaster, tricep dip machine and rows-the machine and cable rows.

In terms of lower body exercises, when I was doing them before I ended up not being able to due cardio due to soreness. Do I have to pick one or the other or just "lighten" the weight? My legs have always been muscular from the exercises I do..Walking at a full incline at the gym and walking in the spring/summer on the hills with the 40 lb vest. When I do leg presses, I can do 350 for about 30 reps and that is without prior weight training. When I was doing weight training, I was able to get the weight up to over 400.

I usually lift alone so I am hesitant to do squats by myself. The smith machine at the gym is broken-they have another one ordered.

Forget the smith machine exists. The angles and vectors during movements that are normally free weight done on the smith puts the body in a posture of mechanical disadvantage, and usually does more harm than good.

If your legs are sore, then you need to decrease the intensity/volume of the workout. Over time you can build up in both to where you can accomplish a full lower body workout and cardio without being painfully sore the next day. Soreness is not an indicator of progress, but rather of poor conditioning/over doing it.

Learn to squat and deadlift. These two exercises will recruit more muscles at once, and in a much more functional manner than any other you can perform in the gym (olympic lifts aside). There's some good information on this site and others about squatting and deadlifting form. For the first few months, you will not need a lot of weight, nor do you want to go any where near fatigue, but rather focus on the technique during the movement.

Forget junk food, quality nutrition is all that counts. You say you think you're around the 3k mark. That says to me you don't measure your food or you'd know exactly what you consume. I was once a skinny fella never weighing more than 180lb and being 6'5" it makes for a typical ectomporph, but good diet and quality training has me 235lb. It takes time if you're an ecto. Remember to get the carbs in with the protein shakes or your body will reject most of the protein (as it's digested so fast your body gets rid of the majority of it as it doesn't understand the need for it) otherwise. Eat 6 meals a day of at least 50% carbs, 35% protein and 15% carbs. Also keep quality technique in your lifts with strong emphasis on the negative, I never used to and I didn't grow due to it. Dorian Yates showed me the way in 'a week in the dungeon'. It's a bible!